Don't yawn: Chronic fatigue is a big problem

YOUR HEALTH - public health

January 2, 2007|By Sarah Baldauf U.S. News & World Report

If your normal state seems to be crushing exhaustion, the problem may be more than just the job plus the kids. Today, concerned that chronic fatigue syndrome is an underappreciated public-health problem, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a $4.5 million campaign to educate physicians and the public about the illness.

Symptoms include profound fatigue -- especially after mental or physical exertion -- as well as joint pain, impaired memory, problems sleeping and often depression. The cause isn't known and there's no cure, but drugs, physical therapy, occupational therapy and psychological counseling can ease distress.

"The most important thing to understand is that the fatigue component creates a significant disability," says Julie Gerberding, director of the CDC.

"There is no gold-standard test," she says, and doctors first have to rule out other illnesses before diagnosing the syndrome.

Research suggests that the condition could affect those who are genetically predisposed, and that the way an individual responds to environmental stress might play a role, too -- "the relationship between the brain, the body, and the body's ability to adapt to stressors," says Gerberding. Experts estimate that the condition affects about 1 million Americans, of whom 80 percent have not been diagnosed. Though those of all ages, races and socioeconomic groups can develop the syndrome, women are typically four times more likely than men to get it.

In November, the U.S. National Institutes of Health awarded grants to seven researchers. The hope is that their investigations will yield a better understanding of why some treatments bring relief and possibly determine a biomarker for better diagnosis.